The ThirtyNine Articles: 15-18, Sin, Election and Salvation

This next section of the 39 Articles will put some stress on the supposedly Arminian bent of the Anglican clergy.  After one more chance to discuss original sin and Christ without sin, we will have a concept of unpardonable sin to discuss.  Election will fill a good deal of the topic this time.  Finally, we will return to salvation in the name of Christ alone.  This will be another dense section of theology and doctrine.

XV. Of Christ alone without sin. 

Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things (sin only except) from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be the lamb without spot, who by the sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world; and sin, (as S. John said) was not in him. But all we the rest, (although baptized, and born again in Christ) yet offend in many things, and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not is us.

While this section seems obvious enough, this is heavily grounded in the idea that while we live, although we are Baptized, we remain under the curse of Adam.  What this means in terms of Salvation and any works righteousness system is that we are doomed to fail in our attempts to keep the Law.  The Roman Catholics exploit this weakness in man in their system of indulgences.  But the Reformed man believes that his sin has been covered by the blood of Christ.  This section affirms the Pauline doctrine of simultaneously regenerated and sinful, as Paul discusses in Romans 6-8.  As we get to Article 18, we will come back to this principle to understand how salvation and just righteousness before God on the Last Day can make sense.

XVI. Of sin after Baptism.

Not every deadly sin willingly committed after baptism, is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God (we may) arise again and amend our lives. And therefore, they are to be condemned, which say they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

I admit that I am not comfortable with the wording of this Article.  It seems to deny the notion of the perseverance of the saints on one hand, while giving the Pauline model of repentance and renewal through Grace on the other.  The phrasing of the first sentence seems to imply that there are some deadly sins that are unpardonable.  But the second sentence seems to undo that damage.  The rest is a condemnation of the notion that Baptism cleans our slate of original sin.  This idea is alien to the Covenant model of Law and Grace.  Roman Catholics and other works based theologies will argue that Baptism cleanses the person of all sin at that moment and makes him spotless as Jesus was spotless.  The Anglican view and the Reformed view is that man remains under the curse of Adam until death or the Second Coming, whichever comes first.  This leaves room for the imperfection of man without compromising salvation.  There are two expectations of man that result.  Man should not be so arrogant as to believe that anyone other than Jesus is without sin, even after Baptism.  And man needs to repent of his sin from time to time and receive absolution from the office of the church, which will be discussed in the next post.

XVII. Of predestination and election.

Predestination to life, is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby {before the foundations of the world were laid) he has constantly decreed by his council secrete to us, to demure from curse and damnation, those whom he has chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honor. Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God’s purpose by his spirit working in due season; they through grace obey the calling; they be justified freely; they be made sons of God by adoption; they be made like the image of his only begotten son Jesus Christ; they walk religiously in good works, and at length by god’s mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity. 

   As the Godly consideration of predestination, and our election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of  the spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing Up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it does greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it does fervently kindle their life towards God; So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil does thrust them either into desperation, or into recklessness of most unclean living, no less perilous then desperation. 

   Furthermore, we must receive God’s promises in such wise, as they are generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture; and in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the word of God.

OK, this will be heavy going.  Predestination is specifically mentioned throughout the Bible.  Americans in particular hate the idea that we have no control over our own destinies.  The notion of predestination seems unfair to us.  Justice is not served in this model, we say.  If some were predestined to be a part of the elect, then others were predestined to receive the Wrath of God under the Law.  How can God be just, merciful and full of Grace if He selected some for eternal damnation?

This is going about the problem backwards, of course.  The 39 Articles have spent a good deal of time agreeing with Romans 3.  Now, in this article, we will see agreement with Romans 9.  But let’s not be trapped into bashing Paul.  Predestination goes back to Genesis 25.  How can the unborn twins be predestined to different paths?  Is this just?  Of course it is just.  We are all doomed under the curse of Adam.  We all deserve eternal damnation.  It is by our own doing that we are cursed.  It is by the Mercy and Grace of God that some are saved.  It is not to us to understand why one is saved and another is damned.  But it is only by God’s Mercy and Grace that any are saved at all.

The next paragraph states that we will be so transformed by the knowledge of the Love of Christ that we will act in accordance with His will.  The reprobate, however, will become desperate when they are made aware of their predestination to damnation.  I’m not sure that I agree with this statement.  I would find apathy to be the chief emotion of the reprobate, with denial being a close second.  Regardless, the section ends with the call of the elect to follow the will of God as set forth by the Scriptures.

XVIII. Of obtaining eternal salvation, only by the name of Christ.

They also are to be had accursed, that presume to say, that every man shall be saved by the law or sect which he professes, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law, and the light of nature. For Holy Scripture does set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.

This seems to be a condemnation of Jews, Roman Catholics, Greeks (in other words all of us) and other applicants of moral codes.  No law of God or man can be followed that will lead to salvation.  Salvation is only through the name of Jesus Christ.  That is what it is to be fallen.

This section has been a rough tumble through some difficult topics.  The idea of election I have recently heard preached in isolation from justification.  The application of Arminian theology to election has no logical connection, and therefore, as you might expect, it turned into and emotional plea to become a better person to demonstrate your election.  It was completely weird.  Without the categories as outlined thus far, election is not just or merciful.  It is no wonder that there is so much resistance to the idea.  The problem is the lack of grounding in Law and Gospel distinctions.  Without understanding Original Sin, the rest of this will never make sense.

The next section will cover Articles 19-21.  They cover issues of the corporate church.  The key issue will be in contradistinction to the Papacy.

--Troll--